Downing Street SaysEvery day the Prime Minister's Spokesman meets a small coterie of political journalists known as 'the lobby' for a topical chat, or 'briefing'.2015-02-26T11:20:04Zhttp://downingstreetsays.com/feed/atomWordPressblognumbertenhttp://www.downingstreetsays.comhttp://downingstreetsays.com/?p=132252015-02-26T11:20:04Z2015-02-26T11:20:04ZWhen asked about the conduct of MPs in the House, the PMOS said that there were long-standing rules about parliamentary language and that the Speaker monitored this.

]]>0blognumbertenhttp://www.downingstreetsays.comhttp://downingstreetsays.com/?p=132232015-02-26T11:20:03Z2015-02-26T11:20:03ZWhen asked about defence spending, the Prime Minister?s Official Spokesman (PMOS) reiterated that the UK does meet the 2% target. He highlighted the 10-year investment of over £150 billion for defence equipment, and when asked about spending from 2016 he added that it would be for a future spending review to set budgets for 2016-17 and onwards.

]]>0blognumbertenhttp://www.downingstreetsays.comhttp://downingstreetsays.com/?p=132212015-02-23T15:50:03Z2015-02-23T15:50:03ZWhen asked about MPs? outside interests, the Prime Minister?s Official Spokesman (PMOS) reiterated the Prime Minister?s comments that he did not view a Chamber full of professional politicians with no outside experience as a good thing. He said the Prime Minister had also said that there needed to be proper rules around transparency and disclosure.

The PMOS pointed out that the government had legislated on lobbying, and said it was right that the Parliamentary Standards Commissioner would investigate where concerns were raised about transparency and disclosure with regard to MPs and their interests.

When asked about the Chairmanship of the Intelligence and Security Committee, the PMOS noted that the appointment of that role was now, as a result of changes made by this government, a matter for the House of Commons as a whole.

]]>0blognumbertenhttp://www.downingstreetsays.comhttp://downingstreetsays.com/?p=132192015-02-12T16:50:02Z2015-02-12T16:50:02ZWhen asked about alleged wrongdoing by HSBC, the Prime Minister?s Official Spokesman (PMOS) said it was important to make the distinction between alleged activities of clients and alleged activities by HSBC and its employees. He said that the government had toughened up penalties, introducing a penalty of 200% of the sum that had been the subject of wrongful activity. He reiterated that if there was further information in relation to alleged wrongdoing, then HMRC would look at it very carefully.

He explained that additional resources had been given to HMRC to ensure that they could robustly and forcefully investigate alleged wrongdoing, so that it would be for them and the Crown Prosecution Service to come to a decision about legal action. He said that the only 2 European countries where there had been successful prosecutions with regard to this specific data were the Republic of Ireland and the UK.

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0blognumbertenhttp://www.downingstreetsays.comhttp://downingstreetsays.com/?p=132172015-02-12T13:20:03Z2015-02-12T13:20:03ZWhen asked about the Prime Minister?s reaction to the announcement from Minsk of a ceasefire, the Prime Minister?s Official Spokesperson (PMOS) said that the UK wanted to see an end to the conflict, and that there would be an opportunity for the Prime Minister to discuss the situation with President Poroshenko and the French and German leaders in Brussels. He said that the test – as Chancellor Merkel had herself said in Minsk – would be what happened on the ground.

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0blognumbertenhttp://www.downingstreetsays.comhttp://downingstreetsays.com/?p=132152015-02-10T09:20:03Z2015-02-10T09:20:03ZWhen asked about European traffic regulations, the PMOS said it was right that the authorities in the UK could make a prosecution – should they choose to do so – where a motorist from an EU country committed an offence in the UK. He said that a principle of reciprocity applied, and that individual countries were able to prosecute those who committed driving offences in their jurisdictions. He said, however, that the UK did not support EU authorities being able to apply penalty points to a UK driver?s licence.

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0blognumbertenhttp://www.downingstreetsays.comhttp://downingstreetsays.com/?p=132132015-02-10T09:20:02Z2015-02-10T09:20:02ZWhen asked about the imposition of sanctions on Russian individuals, the Prime Minister?s Official Spokesman (PMOS) said that names of those subject to sanctions would be published in the official journal when the measure came into force. He said that there would be an opportunity on Wednesday for Russia, during Normandy format discussions in Minsk, to signal a different approach. He added that should Russia choose to de-escalate, there might be a small window of opportunity for today?s decision to be reconsidered. However, he said that unanimity would be required to revoke the sanctions and that the burden of proof to demonstrate intent to de-escalate would be on Russia entirely.

When asked about the Prime Minister?s personal leverage on President Putin, the PMOS said that the Prime Minister had always believed that alongside being critical where necessary, the UK should seek to engage diplomatically. He said this approach had always been part of the international community?s efforts to apply pressure and that the Prime Minister was one of a number of senior international leaders who was making the same point to President Putin.

He said evidence had been seen that sanctions had made an impact on Russia and the Russian economy. He added that the Prime Minister had long said there was a need to arrive at a political solution, and there was determination across the EU and US to continue to increase the political and economic costs

]]>0blognumbertenhttp://www.downingstreetsays.comhttp://downingstreetsays.com/?p=132112015-01-16T14:50:03Z2015-01-16T14:50:03ZWhen asked whether the PM was sympathetic to calls to cut corporation tax to help North Sea oil, PMOS pointed to the Chancellor?s interviews yesterday where he said the government understood the pressures being faced by the sector given recent changes in the oil price, and that the government had already taken action through a 2% tax cut for the sector which came into effect at the start of the year. PMOS also noted the Chancellor?s comments that other proposals were being considered ahead of the Budget.

When asked whether the government would look at proposals sooner than the Budget, PMOS said that fiscal decisions were set out at fiscal events.

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0blognumbertenhttp://www.downingstreetsays.comhttp://downingstreetsays.com/?p=132092015-01-16T14:50:02Z2015-01-16T14:50:02ZWhen asked about the PM?s view on the prospect of a LGBT school in the north west, the Prime Minister?s Official Spokesperson said (PMOS) said that the Department for Education had not received an application and that it was not clear at this stage what was being proposed.

]]>0blognumbertenhttp://www.downingstreetsays.comhttp://downingstreetsays.com/?p=132072015-01-09T14:50:03Z2015-01-09T14:50:03ZWhen asked whether the PM agreed with the MI5 Director-General that more powers are needed for agencies to access communications data, PMOS said that the PM?s view was that it was vital the government did all it could to support the police and agencies to tackle the increased threat from terrorism and to make sure they have the resources and powers that they need. PMOS pointed out that the government is already taking action, having introduced emergency legislation last year through the Data Protection and Investigatory Powers Act and had appointed a special envoy to look at what more can be done with US providers on data sharing. The government was also taking new legislation through the House, following the increase in the threat level earlier this year, to provide more powers to disrupt terrorist activities.